Background Despite a recent upsurge of HIV/AIDS epidemic among young people in China, youth-specific HIV data were limited. Methods Altogether 56621 HIV/AIDS cases, aged 15–24, registered in the Case Reporting System of China between 2005 and 2012 and having complete spatial information were included in the present analysis. Spatial autocorrelation (general and local) and space-time scanning were performed using ArcGIS10.2 and SaTScan 9.3 software, respectively. Results During 2005–2012, the number of reported HIV/AIDS cases and proportion of HIV cases increased while proportion of AIDS cases decreased. Sexual contact evolved as the pre-dominant route of transmission in later years. Spatial analysis showed marked geographic variations of HIV infection among young people throughout China during 2005–2012. The number of new hotspots increased over years. They were mainly localized in southeast coastal areas and southwest bordering provinces or autonomous regions of Guangxi, Yunnan and Sichuan and Beijing municipality. Later these hotspots shifted towards northeastern part. Significant clusters of HIV positive cases were identified in three different time-periods, which indicated high HIV transmission among young Chinese in the recent past. The risk of HIV was highest in the first cluster (2009–2012, largest in size) covering Guizhou and Yunnan province, Chongqing municipality, Guangxi and Sichuan province. The second cluster (2010–2012) was mostly located in Shanghai, South Jiangsu, Zhejiang and South Anhui area while the third cluster (2010–2012) was in Beijing and Tianjin. Conclusions Target-specific comprehensive behavioral interventions were urgently needed to contain further spread of HIV epidemic among young people.